Fish-canning machine



Jan. 2, 1951 Filed Sept. l1, 1945 J. P. .lAKoB FISH CANNING MACHINE 4Sheets-Sheec 1 ATTORNEYS Jan. 2, 1951 J. P. JAKOB 2,536,060

FISH CANNING MACHINE AT1-o RN EYs J. P. JAKOB FISH CANNING MACHINE Jan.2, 1951y 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed sept. 11, 1945 ATToRNi-:Ys

Jan. 2, 1951 J. P. JAKOB. 2,536,060

FISH CANNING MACHINE Filed Sept. l1, 1945 4l Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYSPatented Jan. 2, 1051 FISH-CANNING` MACHINE John P. Jakob, Roselle, N.J., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation ofNew Jersey Application September 11, 1945, Serial No. 615,579

8 Claims. (Cl. 10S-25) -The present invention relates to a fish canningmachine and has particular reference to improved mechanism forcollecting cut pieces of fish and compressing them into a uniform fishmass preparatory to canning.

An object of the invention is the provision in a fish` canning machineof a discharge or delivery mechanism of an improved character whereincut pieces of sh to be canned are collected and compressed into auniform fish mass with rapid, sweeping motions and gentle action on thefish so that first grade packing with as little dis turbance as possibleto the cut pieces of sh may be effected at high speed rates ofproduction. l@ Another object is the provision of such a deliverymechanism wherein the compressed pieces gffiish are held in place afterbeing collected so as to maintain the uniform character of the fishVmass being prepared for canning.

A `Another object is the provision of such a deof the path of travel ofthe fish pieces for rapidly fand gently collecting the out fish and forcompressing' them into the desired fish mass preparatory to canning.

Numerous other objects and advantages ofthe invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin'connection with the. accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a fish canning machineembodying the instant inyention, with parts broken away;

I Figs. 2 and 3 are longitudinal vertical sections taken substantiallyalong the lines 2-2, 3 3, respectively, in Fig. l, with parts brokenaway; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially along thebroken line 4-4 in Fig. 2.

As a preferred embodiment of the instant in vention the drawingsillustrate an improved mechanism for discharging or delivering cutpieces of fish preparatory to canning into the forward or feed-in end ofa fish canning machine of the type disclosed in United States Patent2,226,019, issued December 24, 1940, to W. E; Rooney on Fish CanningMachine, principal parts of which are shown in the drawings.

straining supply tunnel D preparatory 'to canning the` fish, asdisclosed in United States Patent 2,189,831, issued February 13, 1940,toH. J. Paynter and W. E. Rooney on Fish Canning Machine.

The conveyor B includes a pair of horizontally spaced and parallelendless chains I l (Figs. 1 and 2) which operate over a pair of spacedsprockets l2 mounted on a horizontal drive shaft i3 jour-,- naled inbearings I4 (see also Fig. 4) formed in a frame l5 which `may constitutethe main frame of the machine. The drive shaft I3 is rotatedcontinuously in any suitable manner in time with the -other moving partsof the machine. The

" chains Il carry a plurality of buckets `Il spaced at intervals alongtheirlengths for carrying in; dividual cut pieces of the fish A into themachine. These buckets `are made up of a plurality of horizontallyspaced and parallel plates I8 `which are disposed on edge and which aretied together to provide a unitary structure.

The fish buckets I1 on the constantly moving conveyor B carry the cutpieces of sh A toward the entrance end of the supply tunnel D which isin alignment with and adjacent the conveyor sprockets l2. VThe supplytunnel formed with a oor 2| which is secured to the frame l5. Adjacentthe entrance end of the tunnel, the floor extends toward the conveyor Band projects into the path of travel of the fish buckets l1.. Thisextension A(marked A22) of the tunnel floor is il In the machine, fishlpieces A, previously cut to a desired length are fed or advanced intothe machine on a continuously moving endless chain conveyor B, fromwhich the discharge mechanism lmarked C) delivers them into a stationaryreformed with longitudinal clearance slots `23v foi: the pass-agetherethrough of the plates I8uof the buckets as the latter pass laroundthe conveyor sprockets I2, as best shown in Fig. 2,.

`Hence as the sh buckets ll pass around the conveyor sprockets I2, thepieces'lof sh carried in the buckets are deposited.V on the floorextension 22 of the tunnel D adjacent the entrance end ofthe tunnel. 'Aseach piece of fish is received r on the'tunnel floor extension and whileit is still moving forward under the influence of its bucket= il, it isimmediately swept forward, rapidly but gently by the discharge ordelivery mechanism C, into the tunnel D where it is compressed againstother previously fed fish pieces already in the tunnel. This provides auniformfish mass which serves as the supply from which the fish is takenin measured charges for packing into cans, as disclosed in the abovementioned Paynter and Rooney patent. p f This discharge or deliverymechanism C is dis?? posed adjacent the entrance end of the supply,tunnel D and includes a vertically disposed roi tatable drum 25, theouter periphery of which1 28 carries an indexing disc 35 (Figs. l and 4)having a plurality of cam rollers 36 mounted there.- on disposed in acircle substantially concentric with the shaft and in spaced relation inaccordance with the desired partial rotation of the f drum. In theinstant mechanism there are disclosed six such cam rollers vkand theyare individually engageable in succession with a continuously rotatingindexing v cam 31. This is a conventional indexing device.

"The Vindex-ing cam 31 is `mounted on a 'longitudinally disposed cam`shaft ,38 .which `is jour- .naled in a pair .of vspaced 4bearingtbrackets 39 "bolted to the top of 4the mainframe l5. The

shaft is rotated in any suitable manner intime `with the travel of the.conveyor B.

Delivery of the fish 4pieces A into vthe tunnel D, as the drum 25rotates, is effected `by' a pluralty of forks or slotted lpaddles 42which lare formed with clearance `slots .43 which move beytween and`which Aclear the Lplates vI8 of `the buckets |-1 on the conveyorB.There are s ix of these paddles, one for each indexing roller 36 on theindexing disc `35. vEach paddle is slightly narrower than the vwidth onfthe-tunnel v'D at its -entrance end `and is 'long -enflllgh to lust.clear ythe oor of the tunnel.

Each paddle v42 extends transversely of the drum 25 and is disposed `ina slot -44 lF-ig. l

forrned in a cylindrical swivel orv rocker member 45. There are or maybe sixswivel members located in spaced `relation around the periphery ofthe druinand `disposed in cylindrical seats46 l(Fig. 2) formed in thedrum. The outerlends of the'paddles normally extend beyond the periphery of the drum through a clearance v slot 41 iorriedirirheseeel The'inner ends of the paddles 42 project ilrrolle-li e oleererioe opening48 in the eee-ie' 4e Aand respectively carry a cani roller l ywhich o p--rates in a cam groove 52 `(sega Figs. 3 and 4) t`ofl @stationary guidecam 53 secured to a bracket '5,4 bolted tothe frame -I'Sad'jacent thedrum 25. 'Hence as the drum 25 rotates through a partial rotation, as afish piece A is deposited lon the tunnel"'fl oor extension 122, 'therotating drum ,brings one of thepaddles 42 into position'behindeed'erieeeee ille dell -rleee end eerriee or propels it fnwvardlyrapidly and gently along the tunnel door extension 22! .l'liiiir'thelieti. pi'eeele deliv-L ered piero lille eriireilee eed of the 'teeriel,er1-d ,ie eenipreeeed eeeiriei the other dell, lpieeee already therein.ies hereililoeiore irreritioried .During thie i? iiefl reieiiori of the'drum, Aelle irevel ofi the Vieiiddle ,is eeeelereied io Gerry the fieripiece. ,ev/ev rrori iid bileket il eo the@ iliere will be rioiriierference lieiweeii the deli edd the evoked .deeelereiioii oi illekpeddle 42 is brought about ev e eem lever 55 iFieS- l, 2 end .4) therebeine .one lever on the outer end of each o f the cylindrical .swivels45.- Tlie levere oerry .oem rollers el' .which operate in a cam groove58 of a stationary can; 5.9 .dispoeed edieoerli ilie Ldrum and Seeilredvte ille'drillii lereeirei 3L The rollers irever'ee'tlre cam groove withthe rotation of the drum and the cam groove is shaped to rock the camlevers 53' slightly at the proper position of the drum. Hence the paddleis rocked in the seat clearance openings 41, 48 and this pushes the shpiece A ahead at a slightly increased speed while it is advancing towardthe tunnel D.

Rotation of the drum 25 ceases when the engaged fish piece A is fullywithin V,the tunnel, the paddle 42 remaining in position in the entranceend of the tunnel, as shown in Fig. 2, thus substantially sealing vthetunnel so that the newly ,delivered fish piece is held in its compressedposition. The drum and the paddle under consideration remain stationaryuntil the next iish piece A in line on the conveyor B is about to bedeposited on the tunnel floor extension 22 for delivery Alieto thetunnel.

As the next following fish piece A is brought into position for deliveryinto the tunnel and just before the drum 25 begins to rotate throughanother partial rotation, the paddle 42 in the entrance end of thetunnel is quickly withdrawn so as to be clear of the .tunnel lceilingwhen the drum begins to rotate. This Withdrawal of the paddle 42 iselected by a lever 6l which `is dis.-

posedbetween -thedrum land the guide cam 53,

-The inner end of the lever 6I `extends into the path of travel of thepaddle cam rollers 51 and projects under the cam roller -5-I of thepaddle 42 coming or moving 'into the entrance end of the tunnel. liheouter end of 4the 'lever -is vmounted on a cross shaft `62 which visjournaled in a bearing 63 on ythebracket 54 and in `a bearing '64 on thebracket 3|. vrl-he lshaft carries a cam arm 5I having a cam roller 66(Fig. 1i whichoperates in a cam groove -61 lin a barrel cam -68 -flxdlymounted on the continuously rota-ting cam shaft sa.

The cam groove 61 in the barrel cam 38 is shaped to rock Athe shaft 62just prior to the in: dexing of the drum 2-5. Such rocking lifts thelever 6|. This upward movement ofV the 'lever raises the cam roller 51and the attached paddle 42 in the entrance end of the Vturniel D andthus completely removes the paddle from the "tunnel ,in one `clean-rapidsweep. A clearance groove sec.- tion 69 3) rinthe cam groove 5 2 of theguide eem '53 provides for ilile miek removal of peddle from 'dietunnel. Y

vThe raided lever di holds die Withdrewirie paddle 42 irl. .its elevatedAposition .until lille druid 25 has moved through il@ 1393i? ,Rdlal.lQ-POB for enough to Shift the lever supported peddle dem roller 5l ourof the gern eleereriee groeve see. tion 69 and into the eenrieeiliie,guide er eem groove 5,2 (eee .Fiel .3% 'The .lever 5.! `is .i12-enquickly returned. through the aerien Lof .the berrel dem '68, toitsoriginel lowered position This .ref turn or" the lever -eiieetedbeiorethe carri roller 5i of the :next peddle 4.2 en re the tunnel 1l? leethat the ,lever will 'be ,in position to engage under the eem roller.when l@ eemes te reet et the l.er-rd o f its partial rotation with thedrum.

During elleeeeeive YSiileseriderit partiel rotations of the` `drum `25..the carri rollers 5l upon beinereturned to their guide er .dem groove'52, after Withdrawal of their peddle-S .from the idririel D, irevereeille eilide groove arid vthus rush paddles outwardly beyond theperiphery of the drum io their normally extended positions :inreedilieee to erigere. arid deliver eneiher er snee eeediile fish plee-eA into the tunnel D (as plained above) when a said paddle is .advancedto edleeerit the Conveyor :13. This. completes the cycle of operation ofthe mechanism.

It is thought that the inventionv and nany of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the .foregoing description, and it willbeapparent that various changes may be made in the form, cpnstructionand arrangement of the parts .with- ,out departing from the spirit andscope of the invention or sacricing all of its material advantages, theform hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof,I.c1aim:.

1. In a iish canning machine, the combination of a supply tunnel foriish storage, a rotatable drum disposed adjacent the entrance end ofsaid tunnel, means for intermittently rotating said drum, a iish feedingpaddle slidably mountedin said drum and normally extending radiallybeyond the periphery of the drum for delivering out pieces of iish intothe entrance end of said tunnel, and means for slidably withdrawing saidpaddle into and radially of said drum to clear said tunnel aftermovement of the paddle past said tunnel by said intermittently rotatingdrum.

2. In a sh canning machine, the combination of a supply tunnel for iishstorage, a drum disposed adjacent the entrance end of said tunnel andintermittently rotatable in the same direction, a iish feeding paddlemounted in said drum and normally extending beyond its periphery fordelivering cut pieces of fish into the entrance end of said tunnelduring a partial rotation of said drum, said paddle remaining stationaryin the entrance end of said tunnel to hold the inserted iish piece inplace while the drum is at rest between its partial rotations, and meansfor withdrawing said paddle into said drum while the drum is at rest toclear said tunnel during a following partial rotation of said drum inthe same direction. Y

3. In a fish canning machine, the combination of a supply tunnel forfish storage, a rotatable drum disposed adjacent the entrance end ofsaid tunnel and intermittently rotatable in the same direction, aplurality of sh feeding paddles mounted in spaced relation in said drumand normally7 extending beyond is periphery for successively deliveringcut pieces of iish into the entrance end of said tunnel during partialrotations of said drum, a said paddle remaining stationary in theentrance end of said tunnel to hold the inserted iish piece in placewhile the drum `is at rest between its partial rotations, and means forrapidly withdrawing said paddle into said drum while the drum is at restto clear said tunnel during a following partial rotation of said drum inthe same direction.

4. In a fish canning machine, the combination of a supply tunnel forfish storage, a drum disposed adjacent the entrance end of said tunneland intermittently rotatable in the same direction, a fish feedingpaddle mounted in said drum and normally extending beyond its peripheryfor delivering cut pieces of fish into the entrance end of said tunnelduring a partial rotation of said drum, said paddle remaining stationaryin the entrance end oi said tunnel to hold the inserted fish piece inplace while the drum is at rest between its partial rotations, means forrapidly withdrawing said paddle into said drum while the drum is at restto clear said tunnel during a following partial rotation of said drum inthe same direction, and means for returning said paddle to its normalextended position beyond the periphery of said drum for a subsequentfish delivery operation. i

5. In a sh canning machine, the combination ofa supply tunnel for iishstoragaa-drum disposed adjacent the entrance end of said tunnel andintermittently rotatable in the same direction, a plurality of fishfeeding paddles mounted in spaced relation in said drum and normallyextending beyond its periphery for successively delivering cut pieces offish into the entrance end of said tunnel .during partial rotations-oisaid drum, a, said paddle remaining stationary in the entrance end ofsaid tunnel to hold the inserted iish piece in place while the drum isat rest between its partial rotations, means for rapidly withdrawingsaid paddle into said drum while the drum is at rest to clear saidtunnel during a following partial rotation of said drum in the samedirection, and cam means for returning the withdrawn paddles duringsubsequent partial rotations of said drum to their normal extendedpositions beyond the periphery of said drum for subsequent iish deliveryoperations.

6. In a fish canning machine, the combination of a supply tunnel forfish storage, a rotatable drum disposed adjacent the entrance end ofsaid tunnel, means for intermittently rotating said drum in onedirection, a iish feeding paddle slidably mounted in said drum andnormally extending radially beyond the periphery of said drum fordelivering out pieces of fish into the entrance end of said tunnel,means ior accelerating the delivery movement of said paddle duringrotation of the drum to expedite the delivery of the iish piece intosaid tunnel, and means for slidably withdrawing said paddle into andradially of said drum when the latter is stationary to clear said tunnelafter movement of the paddle past said tunnel by said drum.

7. In a sh canning machine, the combination of a supply tunnel for fishstorage, a rotatable drum disposed adajcent the entrance end of saidtunnel, means for intermittently rotating said drum, a rocker membermounted in said drum, a fish feeding paddle slidably mounted in saidrocker member and normally extending radially beyond the periphery ofsaid drum for delivering cut pieces of iish into the entrance end. ofsaid tunnel, means for oscillating said rocker member during theintermittent rotation of said ydrum to accelerate the delivery action ofsaid paddle while delivering a iish piece into said tunnel, and meansfor slidably moving said paddle in said -rocker member when said drum isstationary to move the paddle clear of said tunnel after delivery of aiish piece thereto, said paddle moving means being further operative forreturning the paddle to operable extended position for a subsequent iishdelivery operation.

8. In a iish canning machine, the combination of a supply tunnel foriish storage, a carrier for advancing iish to a position adjacent theentrance end of said tunnel, an intermittently rotatable drum disposedadjacent the entrance end or said tunnel, a seat for said drum in a wallof said tunnel, a plurality of rocker members disposed in spacedrelation in said drum adjacent its outer periphery, a fish feedingpaddle slidably mounted in each of said rocker members, cam

'7 paddle for shifting vit inwardly lwithin :the outer -peripherylof`the :drum yto =c1ear said turmel as -the? drum continues ,to rotate. v

JOHN P. JAKOB.

REFERENCES CITA-.ED

The folowng references are of record in the file of this patent:

'Number 8 STATES PATENTS Name 'Date Curtis T-VfA-f-W--Y-F- June 14, 1932Bose f Sept.. 25, 1193-1 Nordquist -Hn July 16, 1935 Jacobs et al, Apr,2.1, `19,36 Saville May 25, 1943 Jeffrey F.f Oc't. 3, v1944: Haub Nov.7, 1944

